The spotlight has never been so focused on the struggles of raising autistic kids. With the apparent murder-suicide of the family in Sydney’s north, parents of kids with special needs are starting to open up and ask for support and help from the public rather than judgement.
Here is a heartbreakingly eloquent post a Queensland community board, from a mum who seems fed up with complete strangers criticising her children’s behaviour. This was directed a fellow Coolum Coles shopper who felt the need to tell off this battling mum, Katie Maree.
“Dear lady at Coles Coolum. Yes my children were rude and using revolting language. I apologised to you twice but in your ignorance you chose to have a go at me about my children’s behaviour.
“On the outside my kids look like normal children but guess what… they are far from that. You can’t see Autism like you can see chicken pox.
“Every day is a struggle for my children, my family, my whole community and it is so disappointing that someone like you can just so easily make it that much harder.
The mum’s emotional post continues…
“My kids didn’t choose to be this way, they didn’t ask to be born with autism. They truly are great kids. You unfortunately saw them on a bad day.
“I was crying my eyes out. I was mortified. I was embarrassed.
“Please educate yourself on Autism and try a bit of Empathy. I’m trying so hard to help my kids.
“Next time you feel the need to have a go at someone about their kids how about you stop and ask ‘are you ok’.
The comments have been flooding in – and some are equally heart-wrenching.
I feel for you. We are bringing up a five year old grandson with autism and it is really hard to go shopping with him and he doesn’t get invited to parties at school … it use to bother me but now I do not care about the looks anymore.”
To which Katie replied: “We never get party invites and it’s tough trying to explain to them that it’s not their fault.”
And from another struggling parent: “I feel your pain. I am judged by my own family about how to parent my son with Autism it hurts and saddens me that they of all people shouldn’t judge him or I.”
And some one posted this meme of support:
